CMC: Vocabularies Subcommittee Annual Report 2023
submitted by Janelle West
Current Roster
- Janelle West, Chair (2026)
- Anne Adams (2023)
- Jim Alberts (2027)
- Josh Aldorisio (2025)
- Kristi Bergland (2025)
- Blaine Brubaker (2026)
- Ann Churukian (2024)
- Patty Falk (2024)
- Mary Huismann (2024)
- Ivan Kaproth-Joslin (2027)
- Allison McClanahan (2023)
- Rick McRae (2026)
- Laikin Morris (2027)
- Jennifer Olson (2023)
- Tomoko Shibuya (2026)
- Tracey Snyder (2024)
- Clare Spitzer (2025)
- Alice Sujana (2027)
- Mark Scharff, NACO Music Project Coordinator (2025)
- Leo Martin, SACO Music Funnel Coordinator (2026)
- Maarja Vigorito, Library of Congress Representative
- Jay Weitz, OCLC Representative
List of Previous Goals and Progress Made
- 1. Continue review of music-related LCSH and LCGFT, and LCMPT terms appearing in monthly LC tentative lists with task group, VS LC representative, and the Music SACO Funnel Coordinator; submit comments to LC when appropriate. Continue with defined projects and ad hoc proposals for LCGFT and LCMPT.
- Task group has reviewed the monthly tentative lists and submitted comments to LC Policy, Training, and Cooperative Programs Division (PTCP) when appropriate.
- Active proposals:
• LCMPT: viol ensemble
• LCGFT: Liturgical terms related to chant; Hymns scope - Proposals vetted, submitted, and in various stages of SACO or LC approval:
• LCMPT: nail violin; gralla (revised)
• LCGFT: Blackface minstrel shows; Blackface minstrel music; Sampler albums (Sound recordings) (revised); Simplified editions (Music) (revised); Minstrel shows (revised); Minstrel music (revised)
• LCSH: Avant garde (Music) (revised); Mixtapes (revised) - Proposals accepted:
• LCMPT: song bells; xylophone (revised); actor (revised); speaker (revised)
• LCGFT: Postludes (Music); Maskanda; Trance music; Experimental music; Mixtapes; Barong (Music) (revised); Trance (Electronic dance music) (revised)
• LCSH: Blackface minstrel shows; Blackface minstrel music; Treble voices (as free-floating term for Choruses); Choruses, Sacred (Treble voices); Minstrel shows (revised); Minstrel music (revised); African American wit and humor (revised); Minstrels (revised); Blackface entertainers (revised)
- 2. Continue to serve as managing body for the Types of Compositions list and vetting body for the Thematic Indexes list
- Types activities:
• Active proposals: Gesang/Gesänge (revision); Songs without words
• Terms vetted and added: Overture/Overtures; Bagatella/Bagatelle, Solfeggio/Solfeggios, Anthem/Anthems, Baladi (updated), Eloadasi darabok - Thematic Indexes activities:
• Active proposals: Bach, J.S. (Blanken)
• Approved entries: Abel (Holman); Bennett (Williamson); Binder (Fleischer); Galuppi (Pullmann); Lupo (Meyer-Lupo); Mann (Fischer, Pollack, Rudolf); Meier (ZimmermannH); Tárrega (Jape); Tomasini (Korčak); Walter (Leaver);
• Rejected entries: Steiner
• Edited or updated entries: Bach, W.F. (Falck); Bach, W.F. (Bach-Repertorium-WFB)
• Completed project to add links for online thematic indexes to their respective entries
- Types activities:
- 3. Continue to enhance usability of Types of Compositions by adding plural terms as appropriate
- Work on this project is in its final stages and should be completed by end of FY24
- 4. Continue work to provide tools to partially automate creation of faceted subject/genre/medium fields in catalog records.
- Mappings between new and revised LCMPT, LCGFT and LCSH completed for 2021 and sent to be added to the Toolkit; 2022 mappings complete and awaiting task group review
- Explore GitHub as option for making MLA’s mapping lists and documentation available/downloadable: ongoing
- Reach consensus on mapping decisions regarding deferred or complex musical/conceptual areas: guiding documentation reviewed, annotated and forwarded to the programmer; decisions on 048/382 mappings ongoing
- 5. Issue revised MLA LCMPT and LCGFT Best Practices documents, in a web-based format
- Include requests received through open suggestion box: Suggestions for revisions of the LCMPT Best Practices were gathered and addressed in the updated document; suggestions for LCGFT Best Practices have been gathered and will be utilized in upcoming revision
- Issue preliminary and final recommendations for revised voice/chorus terms: Final recommendations incorporated into the updated LCMPT Best Practices document (version 1.5)
- Near-final drafts for discussion by end of year; publication of revised BPs by MLA 2023 annual meeting: LCMPT Best Practices 1.5 completed by MLA 2023 annual meeting; work on LCGFT Best Practices began in summer 2023
List of Future Goals
- 1. Continue review of music-related LCSH, LCGFT, LCDGT and LCMPT terms appearing in monthly LC tentative lists with task group, VS LC representative, and the Music SACO Funnel Coordinator; submit comments to LC when appropriate. Continue with defined projects and ad hoc proposals for LCGFT and LCMPT.
- Goal Area 2: Develop and Retain Membership, Objective 2.4: Support members working in various disciplines within an organization that also includes aspects of music librarianship, including, but not limited to, members of the Association
- Goal Area 2: Develop and Retain Membership, Objective 2.6: Promote MLA as being an Association that will advocate for our profession, our members, our users, our institutions and for diversity. Prioritize the visibility and awareness of advocacy
- Goal Area 3: Cultivate Inclusivity, Objective 3.4: Reflect DEIA principles in MLA’s leadership, membership, core values, mission, strategies and operations. Devote resources to clarifying and strengthening the “E” and “I” in DEIA
- Goal Area 4: Strengthen Communication, Objective 4.5: Participate in the community of music librarianship existing outside of MLA
- 2. Continue to serve as managing and vetting body for the Types of Compositions; enhance usability of the Types of Compositions list by adding plural terms as appropriate
- Goal Area 2: Develop and Retain Membership, Objective 2.4: Support members working in various disciplines within an organization that also includes aspects of music librarianship, including, but not limited to, members of the Association
- Goal Area 4: Strengthen Communication, Objective 4.5: Participate in the community of music librarianship existing outside of MLA
- 3. Continue to serve as managing and vetting body for the Thematic Indexes list
- Goal Area 2: Develop and Retain Membership, Objective 2.4: Support members working in various disciplines within an organization that also includes aspects of music librarianship, including, but not limited to, members of the Association
- Goal Area 4: Strengthen Communication, Objective 4.5: Participate in the community of music librarianship existing outside of MLA
- 4. Continue work to provide tools to partially automate creation of faceted subject/genre/medium fields in catalog records; work toward consensus on mapping decisions regarding deferred or complex musical/conceptual areas
- Goal Area 2: Develop and Retain Membership, Objective 2.4: Support members working in various disciplines within an organization that also includes aspects of music librarianship